As the leaves start to turn and the seasons begin to change, one of my favorite ways to welcome the new weather is by changing up the menu. Seasonal produce is budget-friendly, tasty, and easily ensures menus don’t get boring or routine. When you start to pull out the sweaters and change the seasonal wardrobe, makeover your menus as well.

Summertime is a fun time to spend visiting friends, enjoying the lake or backyard, or taking a road trip! Snacks are an essential part of any plans and with the abundance of tasty fruits and vegetables, can be a breeze to prepare while providing the nutrients needed every day. Fruits and veggies are a refreshing way to help stay hydrated in the heat because they have high water content. They also pack/travel well and they’re easy to eat.

Weddings can be exciting and filled with fun traditions. . . .something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Stress levels can sometimes run high with all of the details, organization and last minute planning that occurs as the big event approaches. To help make sure your special day goes smoothly, apply these traditions to your health. Not only will you look great, but you’ll feel better.

The big day is only weeks away and you’ve just visited the florist to finalize your order and drop off a deposit to ensure delivery. As you get into your car, you can feel another headache popping through. A question is hammering through you mind . . .how will the florist ensure that your special posies are fresh and perky for your 7 pm wedding when delivery is scheduled for early afternoon?…WATER, of course!

Celebrate with a patriotic nod to the menu. In addition to the usual grilling fare, add tasty and healthful fruit and veggie treats in red, white and blue!

Every color of the rainbow offers a unique mix of nutrients that are important for good health, including antioxidants, fluid, fiber, vitamins, and minerals! In fact, the pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their bright, sunny colors is actually where many of the nutrients are found, which is why eating produce in the same color family provides a similar mix of nutrients! This means that menus never have to be boring, and no matter what favorites fall in each color of the rainbow, those nutrients will be there in each choice.